Some 64 centuries ago, a prehistoric people of obscure origins farmed an area along Egypt’s Nile River.

Barely out of the Stone Age, they produced simple but well-made pottery, jewellery and stone tools, and carefully buried their dead with ritual objects in apparent preparation for an afterlife. These items often included doll-like female figurines with exaggerated sexual features, thought to possibly symbolize rebirth.

Despite the simplicity of their possessions, a new study suggests these people, the Badarians, may have ultimately given rise to one of the world’s first major civilizations some 14 centuries later: the glittering culture of Egypt.

Indeed, the Egyptians seem to have been basically the same people from the end of the Stone Age through late Roman times...

Study traces Egyptians’ stone-age roots, World Science, December 17, 2005.

A Dutch chemist has claimed the fabled Mahogany Ship could be evidence that ancient Egyptians discovered Australia more than 4000 years ago.

Dr Reinoud de Jonge is the co-author of the controversial book , which postulates that various megalithic structures and caves around the world hold clues to Egyptian fleets being the first to visit every continent except Antarctica.

Mr de Jonge said he knew little about the Mahogany Ship but such stories about ancient ships of discovery were interesting.

“I read about the findings of 3500-year-old wood in the neighbourhood of the ship ... it does not surprise me at all,” Mr de Jonge said...

Egyptians the 'first', Warrnambool Standard, Australia, December 14, 2005.

cf. How the SunGod Reached America official website.